“We need to admit news publishers are not sympathetic victims losing an unfair fight against anti-competitive practices — at least not now.” Nikki Usher
A new round of consolidation could kill off half of what were the major U.S. newspaper chains just a few months ago. But the possibility of platform cash is sparking hope.
America’s bankrupt No. 2 newspaper chain — owner of dailies in Miami, Kansas City, Charlotte, Sacramento, Fort Worth, and more — is subject to the same consolidation logic as the rest of the industry.
By gutting local advertising overnight, COVID-19 has accelerated strategies — like cutting print days, corporate consolidation, or even closing down offices — that publishers had hoped could wait a while longer.
The multi-trillion-dollar CARES Act should extend a lifeline to many small local publishers. But for bigger companies and chains, the help they’ll receive is still up in the air — “It’s very unformed.”
Will Chatham Asset Management, the hedge fund set to gain control of the company, want to operate it after bankruptcy? Or will it look to cash out via merger as quickly as possible?
Doctor, Ken. "Newsonomics: Six takeaways from McClatchy’s bankruptcy." Nieman Journalism Lab. Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, 14 Feb. 2020. Web. 3 Oct. 2023.
APA
Doctor, K. (2020, Feb. 14). Newsonomics: Six takeaways from McClatchy’s bankruptcy. Nieman Journalism Lab. Retrieved October 3, 2023, from https://www.niemanlab.org/2020/02/newsonomics-six-takeaways-from-mcclatchys-bankruptcy/
Chicago
Doctor, Ken. "Newsonomics: Six takeaways from McClatchy’s bankruptcy." Nieman Journalism Lab. Last modified February 14, 2020. Accessed October 3, 2023. https://www.niemanlab.org/2020/02/newsonomics-six-takeaways-from-mcclatchys-bankruptcy/.
Wikipedia
{{cite web
| url = https://www.niemanlab.org/2020/02/newsonomics-six-takeaways-from-mcclatchys-bankruptcy/
| title = Newsonomics: Six takeaways from McClatchy’s bankruptcy
| last = Doctor
| first = Ken
| work = [[Nieman Journalism Lab]]
| date = 14 February 2020
| accessdate = 3 October 2023
| ref = {{harvid|Doctor|2020}}
}}
